LIVINGSTON MANOR – The defending Section IX Class D champs are in playoff form after divisional home wins on Thursday and Friday against Eldred and Roscoe. After defeating their two league …
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LIVINGSTON MANOR – The defending Section IX Class D champs are in playoff form after divisional home wins on Thursday and Friday against Eldred and Roscoe. After defeating their two league opponents on the road earlier in the season, the Lady Wildcats had already punched their Sectional ticket, but they continued their success in Class D, winning both legs of their back-to-back home stand.
Their first game this week, against Eldred on Thursday, was a grueling endeavor. The two teams deployed a full-court press in each of the four quarters, and the game began as a defensive stalemate that lasted throughout the first half.
Seven different players scored in the first quarter as Livingston Manor edged out a 9-8 lead. The two teams continued to struggle offensively in the second as the Lady Wildcats outscored Eldred just 6-4 in the second quarter for a 15-12 lead at the break.
The difference in the game was the third quarter, in which Livingston Manor’s defensive adjustments stunted Eldred’s offense. The visiting Lady Yellowjackets failed to score a single point in the frame, leading us into the fourth with a 23-12 lead for the Lady Wildcats.
Both teams continued their defensive efforts, forcing turnovers and grabbing defensive rebounds as time wound down in the game. Eldred added four points, but was matched by Livingston Manor’s four in the quarter, for a 27-16 final.
LM’s offense was paced by Mackenzie Carlson, this week’s Varsity 845 Player of the Week, with 11 points. Eldred’s Molly McKerrell added nine for Eldred.
“I’m happy with how the girls handled themselves, both mentally and physically during the game,” LM Coach Maggi Fitzpatrick said after the win. “I can see our adjustments paying off defensively, and we had a lot of great shot opportunities.”
“The game was very physical,” Eldred Coach June Hallock said after the loss. “We played better this time around and we’re looking forward to the next one.”
On Friday afternoon, Livingston Manor hosted Roscoe in their fourth and final league matchup. They found the offensive spark that they lacked against Eldred straight away, scoring 12 points in the first quarter, while holding the Lady Blue Devils to three. An 8-2 second quarter increased the LM lead to 15 by halftime. Mackenzie Carlson, who scored a game-high 18 points, netted ten in the first half.
The Lady Wildcats matched their second quarter score with another eight in the third, while the Lady Blue Devils doubled their score and the teams sped into the fourth in a 28-10 game.
Livingston Manor won the fourth quarter 12-7 for the 40-17 win. Their second wire-to-wire victory in consecutive nights.
Livingston Manor played their third straight game on Saturday against Sullivan West, but lost 37-15.
“I’m really proud of the girls and their growth as a team. The seniors have stepped into leadership roles and I’m happy that today’s game was different than yesterday,” Coach Fitzpatrick said after the back-to-back home victories.
“We’re getting better with pressuring the ball and playing at a varsity-style game speed,” Roscoe Coach Evan Bowers said. “We gave up a lot of second chance points, but we’ve also been putting up more shots lately.”
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